Design Selection
Concept 1 Concept 2
Handles Extendable rod
This design of the rod will
use a telescoping and
locking mechanism similar
to ones that you see on a
scooter. This will allow it
to take up a much smaller
space while maintaining
its rigidity.
Tool heads Threaded
A threaded insert inside of
the tool head would allow
a rod with a threaded end
to securely be attached to
the head.
Tool head molds Bolts
Concept 3
Ergonomic grip
This rod has an
ergonomic grip in order to
make the rod easier to
grip and more
comfortable. This is to
appeal to the average
consumer who prioritizes
comfort over durability for
their tools.
Hole insert
This tool head offers three
holes to lock in the tool
heads. This wraps the tool
head around the ice,
making the whole model
more sturdy.
Expandable
material
Concept 4
Studded grip Detachable Rods
Detachable rods will work
with a threaded insert into
the ice. The rod can be
The purpose of this type expanded by simply
of grip is to add to the attaching more rods.
traction of the tools and
make them easier to use.
Bolt Studs
Studs will be made up of
tiny bumps in the tool
handle that will lock the
pykrete in 3 dimensions
and prevent twisting.. They
The bold would provide
will remain so long as this
easy attachment to the
tool remains below -4c.
handle due to the secure
nature of the screw
attaching to the handle. It
would also provide
stability to the pykrete
head.
Open top Fill line
A fill line marks the point
 on the mold where filling
past will cause the
expanding ice to spill over

Wing nuts and bolts will

enable easy extraction of
tool heads from a rigid
and durable mold An open top will allow
An expandable material overflow to simply spill
for the mold would allow out the top.. Useful for
it to still maintain the saving freezer space if the
shape that it is originally ambient temp is below
designed for, while freezing
maintaining a tight seal
that doesn’t allow water to
escape. This includes
rubber, silicon, etc.

Total Concept 1:​ Extendable Rod + Hole Insert + Bolts

Thought Process: ​By combining an extendable rod with metallic inserts to hold the rod in place with hole
inserts inside the tool head itself in order to secure it, we will create a sturdy, telescopic rod with an solidly
set tool head that will not be easily moved. This extendable rod will allow our product to fit into much smaller
spaces during transportation and the hole insert will allow for greater durability and no opportunities for the
head to fall off at any point. Using bolts to secure our mold together will allow for easy removal of the tool
heads and keep the seal tight.

Pros:
● Telescopic rod allows for much great portability
● Metal protrusions keep the rod secure at full length
● Inserts inside the tool head prevent it from shifting
● Bolted mold allows for easy unscrewing and removal
● Tight bolts prevents any water from escaping and keeps a tight seal

Cons:
● Potential for rod to break with moving parts
● Needs another tool in order for the seal to be effective in the first place (securing bolts)
● Locking holes may be a little complex for ice
● Design is a little difficult to get correct
● Need to bring nuts and bolts in order to use the mold

Total Concept 2:​ Studded Grip + Studs + Expandable Material

Thought Process: ​In creating this design, the first thing we thought to do was combine the studded grip and
studded tool head together. Not only would this create continuity, but also have the traction of the grip
compliment the power of the locking mechanism. The expandable material was added because the tight seal
of the concept would pair nicely with the tight lock of the studs. We reasoned that this total concept would
have lot of traction for more efficient work, with a sturdy tool head to aid in this efficiency.

Pros:
● Increased traciation from studded grip
● Studs with lock in tool head to prevent looseness
● Expandable mold allows for shape to be preserved
● Tight seal of mold prevents water from escaping
● A tightly held tool head and increased traction with result in more efficient work

Cons:
● Studs might make the production more complex
● Studs might make production more costly
● The stretching of the rubber in cold environments many distort the mold
● Studs for tool handle might be unusable even if slightly damaged
● Benefits of studded grip might be null with large gloves

Total Concept 3​: Detachable Rods + Threaded + Fill Line

Thought Process: ​The idea behind this was to allow the tool to be as flexible as possible. Not literally but in its
use. Using seperate tool rods that can be combined via threaded adaptors to form longer rods.. The bit that
connects the tool rod to the ice is also threaded, allowing for rods to be reused without melting the tool. The
mold is just the simplest design we could think of. A line on the mold to simply designate how much pukrete
to pour.

Pros:
● Modular handles allow for easy extension of tools
● Modular handles allow for the tool to be adjusted for the size of the user
● A way to separate the handle from the head may be useful for storing heads for later
● A simple fill line on the mold requires no extra materials to make,
● A modular system can be made adaptable with even non pykrete tools

Cons:
● Separate handle sections could be difficult to assemble in gloves
● Separate sections would be easier to lose
● A simple fill line does not actually limit the amount of pykrete..
● More sections creates more points of failure.
● Ice could form, locking the sections together.
Mentor Notes

Our first mentor, Chris Fehring, gave us two major notes in regards to our classification scheme.
Firstly, he strongly recommended we add sketches of our concepts to materialize our thoughts. This
missing aspect is why our initial classification scheme was marked absent. In response, we added
sketches of each of our concepts. His second recommendation was to clarify the studded tool head
concept. To do so, we added a sentence to further explain the concept and added additional
sentences for every other aspect to further clarify. Mr. Fehring’s advice was critical in getting us to
elaborate on our ideas more in the document. If we want to sell people on our concept, we need to
have a clear direction and concept of what we’re doing with pykrete tools. This extra push reminded
us of this important aspect of our project.

Our second mentor, Jeremy Li, did not give us very much information on how to improve our
classification scheme as he focused more on our initial proposal. However, he brought up some
ideas of other functions and parameters we could look into, such as the water-sawdust ratio, the
cooling rate, and the types of composite reinforcements. He told us to think through priorities in a
tool when we are looking at the different concept designs.